Kansas State Historical Society Topeka, Ks.
Daily hansan
Wednesday, Sept. 23, 1953
WOODWORKING HOBBY PAYS OFF—Karel Blas, assistant professor of music theory and viola in the School of Fine Arts and a member of the Little Symphony orchestra, plays an instrument he made entirely by hand.
-Kansan photo by Dean Evans
Musical Member of Faculty, Karel Blaas, Makes Violin
By VALERA TEBBEN
Woodworking has developed into a creative accomplishment for Karel Blaas, assistant professor of music theory and viola in the School of Fine Arts.
He spent a summer, working half days, to make a viola. Although he received plenty of criticism and advice from friends, he kept his own ideas with the result that the instrument turned out very well.
The top of the instrument is made of American spruce, and the back and sides of European curly maple.
Prof. Blaas made the instrument entirely by hand. Among the tools he used were a dentist's mirror, a fine-toothed comb, various types and sizes of planes, files, chisels, clamps, and plenty of "elbow grease."
He also used graduating calipers of the same type used by Stradavarius in making his famous violins.
LAWRENCE, KANSAS
Prof. Blaas believes a combination of craftsmanship with aesthetic sense is necessary to create a good instrument. Like, Stradavarius, he thinks each instrument and piece of wood is like an individual, and that one need not conform to set standards or patterns.
"Making one's own musical instruments is a wonderful hobby," Prof. Blaas said. "Next to having children it is the closest thing to heaven or God. It is creative. It is a great string, it is easy to string up an instrument and draw the bow across the strings for the first time."
Making such an instrument is like raising a child, Prof. Blasa explained. As you work with it you sometimes have your doubts as to how it is going to turn out, and you often wonder if you are prejudiced about the finished product.
"However, according to several friends who have heard me play, my instrument turned out very well," Prof. Blas said.
In addition to his first viola, completed in 1948, Prof. Elaas has made a second viola and the top for a third. He is also working on a violin.
Prof. Blaas also enjoys other forms of woodwork. It took him 14 months to build a ship's model of "The Bounty," famed ship from "Mutiny on the Bounty."
He comes from a family of craftsmen, wood workers, and shipbuilders. The first musician in the group, he played 20 seasons in the Rochester Philharmonic Symphony
orchestra before coming to KU in 1949.
Prof. Blaas has a B.A. degree in music from the Eastman School of Music, Rochester, N.Y., and last year received his M.A. degree in music theory from KU. Prof. Blaas is a member of the University String quartet and the Little Symphony orchestra.
He likes working with students and would not go back to the Phil-harmonic symphony for anything because, he says, 'I was tired of conductors telling me what to do.'
United Nations, N. Y.—(UP) The United States held today to its position that the Korean peace conference begin as soon as possible without further debate on it in the United Nations.
U.S.Against More Debate
A third message stressing the unwavering attitude of the United States was en route to Red China and North Korea through Sweden.
The communication included a suggestion that the Communists might attempt to have "neutral" nations represented at the conference through discussions at the conference itself.
It urged Communist countries that opposed the U.N. in Korea to send representatives for a face-to-face meeting with a U.S. conference delegate at San Francisco, Honolulu, or Geneva.
U. S. ambassador Henry Cabot Lodge, Jr., said the offer for a face-to-face meeting was made "to give as dramatic an indication as we can of our desire to get ahead with this conference."
Law Prof to Entertain
Prof. Charles Oldfather of the School of Law will be a featured entertainer at the record dance in the Trail room tonight. He will perform at 9:30 p.m., singing and playing his guitar.
51st Year, No. 6
Foreign Movies Disney's Work To Be Featured
Nine foreign movies, four Walt Disney nature shorts, and one full-length Disney film will be shown on this year's film series. The first movie is Oct. 16.
The movies, which are for student and University staff and members of their immediate families, will be shown through April 16 in Hoch auditorium starting at 7:30 p.m. Group singing will precede the films by fifteen minutes.
the schedule
Oct. 16, "Dead of Night," an Eng-
lish mystery; "Nature's Half Acre,
a Disney bird and insect film
The schedule:
Oct. 30, "Under the Paris Sky," in French with English titles.
Nov. 13, "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs," first full-length Disney movie-cartoon; "Olympic Elk." Disney story on wild elk.
Jan. 15, "Mariage of Figaro," the opera in German with English title.
Feb. 5, "Kind Hearts and Coronets," an English film.
Feb. 19,"The Young and the Damned," in Spanish, and "Bear Country." Disney movie of the black bear in its wild state.
Mar. 5, "Miracle in Milan," an Italian comedy with English titles.
Mar. 19, "The Strange Ones," in French with English titles.
Apr. 16, "Keepers of the Night," German film about life in the early post war period.
Proficiency Exam Slated for Dec. 5
English proficiency examinations for the fall semester will be given Dec. 5. All students in the college of Liberal arts and sciences, the School of Education, the School of Journalism, the School of Medicine (Nursing), and the School of Fine Arts are eligible.
Passing the examination is a requirement for graduation in these schools.
The test is an examination in English composition which determines the student's ability to do the kind of writing he may have to do after leaving the university.
Students desiring further information may see Mrs. Natalie Calderwood in 201 Fraser.
Faris Tells Need Of Unified World
"No one can be saved alone. We are either saved together or lost together," Nabih Amin Faris said last night in the first of his lectures, "The Arab in the World Today." He was referring to American-Arab relations.
Forms Available For Draft Tests
Following the explanations, 400 students signed preference cards for work on one or more subcommittees. The cards will be used in compiling SUA committee lists during the year.
Applications for Selective Service College Qualifications test are now available at the registrar's office, James K. Hitt, registrar and director of admissions, said today.
Miss Hawkinson introduced the chairman of each general activity area and explained his projects. The board meets every week to discuss SUA policies and to evaluate the whole outlook of the SUA program
Students Hear Discussion Of Union Activities Group
The board members and the activities which they supervise follows: Ludwig Adney Smith, engineering sophomore, special events, such as the Jayhawk nibble, Student Union carnival, Christmas party, and Presidents' breakfasts, for presidents of campus organizations.
Dates are Thursday, Nov. 19, and Thursday, April 22, 1954. The test will be given here on the campus, Mr. Hitt said. Eligible students should apply at the registrar's office. Deadline is Thursday, Nov. 2.
Pat Johnson, college senior, secretary, requested volunteers for the office staff to work in the SUA Union office. Jim Graves, engineering senior, is vice-president, and Nancy Munger, college senior, is treasurer.
Results will be reported to the students' Selective Service board.
"Selective Service regulations allow a local board to defer a student for induction if he has a test score of 70 or better or is in the upper level of his class scholastically. Mr. Sawyer has been enrolled in upper half of his class, a sophomore in the upper two-thirds, and a junior in the upper three-fourths.
Every man who is registered with Selective Service should arrange to take the test, particularly those in the Reserve Officers Training program, Mr. Hitt said. Students enrolled in ROTC who may be dropped from the program for any reason would need to resort to test results for deferment, he added.
"Local boards are not required to defer students," Mr. Hitt said, "but the more information it has, the greater likelihood of the student being deferred." The boards need both the test scores and class standings, Mr. Hitt said.
Eleanor Snyder, junior, Kansas City, Mo., has been elected president of the Art Education club. Vice president of the club is Marjorie Waddell, junior, Junction City, Mo.; secretary of the Kansas City, Mo., is secretary-treasurer and George Knotts, junior, Langley, Okla., is publicity chairman.
Projects of the Student Union Activities committee were explained, and students were given the opportunity to sign sub committee rosters at the SUA membership meeting last night in the Union hallroom.
The Lawrence draft board has supplied the registrar's office with application blanks and bulletins.
Marilyn Hawkinson, college senior $^{\text{v}}$ president of Student Union Activities, introduced committee members and Miss Betty Lichty, SUA adviser, and Frank Burge, Union director.
Art Education Club Elects
Fred Rice, college junior, house and rules, which includes the Union bulletin boards, the travel bureau, and evaluation of the SUA program.
Althea Rexroad, college junior,
arts and crafts, consisting of the
craft and dark rooms, photography
club, and exhibits and displays; Su-Zanne Schwantes, college sophomore, music and browsing rooms,
magazine selection, international forums, and guest coffees.
Jack McCall, college junior, supervises public relations and handles open houses and the activities display. A corp of 40 or 50 students are needed as hosts and hostesses for open houses to guide visitors through the Union.
$ Dr. Faris, the first holder of the Rose Morgan professorship, spoke to a capacity crowd of faculty, townspeople and students in Strong auditorium. He was introduced by Chancellor Franklin D. Murphy.
Of the land of the Arab, Dr. Murphy said, "Nowhere in the world we do find such a curious combination of historical, economic and political events. It is this part of the world which gave us Christianity and our tools of communication and calculation."
In his introductory lecture, Dr. Faris indicated that Westerners still have vague, romantic ideas about the Arab people that date back to the Arabian Nights and beyond.
"There has been very little familiarity with the Arab world in the United States," Dr. Faris said, "because of the former isolationism policies of the country and a lack of responsibility to the rest of the world prior to 1946."
Dr. Faris pointed out that although work in Arab countries has been extensive, many wrong impressions of the Arabs have been brought back to the U.S. by this group. He attributed it to the difficulty of Christian reformers in comprehending another region's religious house of the tendency of returning missionaries to "romanticize" the culture and life of the Arab.
Dr. Fraris stated that American prestige in Arab countries was at a night immediately following World War II then dropped to a dangerous low,
The realization that 46 per cent of the world's natural resources are within the Arab world is a strong argument for good relations with the Arabs, he said.
"This area is undergoing a political and social awakening which has uncertain outlines. Both East and West are wooing this area. The West can win the Arab world if we maintain an informed position," he said.
Four Posts on KU Calendar Vacant
Nathan Harris, college junior and editor of the KU Calendar, today announced that he is seeking applications from persons who wish to fill positions on the publication this year.
The KU Calendar is published yearly and lists the dates of many significant campus events. This year it will cover the period beginning January 1, 1954.
needed are an assistant editor, managing editor, assistant business manager, and activities editor. Interested persons should write letters in which they describe their qualifications and listing activities in which they have participated.
Applications should be sent to Harris at 1111 W. 11th street.
Weather
The first day of fall brought Kansas warmer weather today. But the
situation is only temporary, s a i d State Weatherman Tom Arnold. Another c o l d front should reach K ans as tonight. Fall began officially at 2:07 a.m. CST. Now long afterward minimum Kansas temperatures for the 24-hour period ranged from 48 degrees at Leavenworth to 64 at Garden City. On the last full day of summer yesterday the minimum temperatures were more like fall, in the 30s. The warm-up started right away, however, and yesterday afternoon the mercury climbed to 92 at Goodland. There was no rain.